Black Forge Coffee’s Nick Miller discusses paint colors with McKees Rocks Community Development’s Jeb Feldman and Shelley Monto. A multi-day paint party where members of the community and fans of the brand came together to help paint the interior of the former Chartiers Trust Bank building on Chartiers Avenue in McKees Rocks was held in October 2018.

Crowdfunding appeal

In addition to 5 Generation Bakers Honeycomb Credit crowdfunding appeal,  several other new and existing McKees Rocks area companies to have used nontraditional funding to either help them launch or to expand their offerings include:

• Black Forge Coffee House – Co-owners Ashley Corts and Nick Miller went the traditional crowdfunding route to fill a gap in financing as they worked toward opening a second much larger McKees Rocks location for their special mix of coffee and live entertainment. The Kickstarter campaign raised more than $35,000 of a $30,000 goal. The pair closed on the former Chartiers Trust Bank building Aug. 31 and are currently working on updates to the interior. They held a painting party in October inviting the community to join in while they prepped the space.
• Aliya Wray’s Beauty Shop – Owner Aliya Wray applied for a $10,000 Kiva loanto allow her Stowe Township salon to launch an online line of premium hair extensions and products.
• PMA Tattoo – A Kiva loan of $10,000 helped Sara Eve and her growing woman-owned tattoo shop founded on the principles of positivity, equality, and respect to relocate to a larger, permanent space on Broadway Avenue in Stowe.
• Dragonfly Industries – In March, Owner Anita Macias applied for a second $10,000 Kiva loan to allow her to expand her fleet of trucks. Macias started her McKees Rocks-based company through another Kiva Loan that has already been paid back.